Safety ground switch



April 2, 1940.

C. P. SAUPP, JR

SAFETY GROUND SWITCH Filed Feb. 17, 1938 Chamce-yESa gfi IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for use in connection with motorvehicles, motor boats or the like, the primary object of the inventionbeing to provide means whereby the usual battery 5 used in supplying theelectric energy necessary for the operation of motor vehicles or motorboats, may be readily and conveniently disconnected, from the variouscircuits, thereby eliminating all danger of fire. caused by a shortcircuit.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which may be readily and easily connected in the usual groundcircuit of the battery, eliminating the necessity of 16 makingalterations in the construction of the battery or vehicle, to installthe attachment.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and ar-20 rangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within thescope of what is claimed,

without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

- Figure 1 is a sectional view through a device constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the at- .tachment embodies a main orsupporting bar 5,

constructed of conductive material, the bar having openings for thereception of the bolts 8, whereby the device may be secured to the rail1 of the chassis of the vehicle, and to which the usual battery of amotor vehicle is grounded.

The reference character 8 designates a contact bar, which is alsoconstructed of conductive ma- 40 terial and insulated from the bar 5, bymeans of the insulating member 9 which is shown as positioned betweenthe bars 5 and 8. Bolts Ill and I I, pass through the bars 5, and 8, andmember 8, securing the bars 5, 8 and member 8 together, the bolts l0 andII being insulated from the bars 5 and 8 by the insulating material II.The ground strap is indicated by the reference character i8 and isbolted to the bar 8 by means of the bolt H, the opposite end of thestrap I: being secured to a battery post of the battery with which thedevice is used, and which is not shown in the present drawing.

Registering openings are formed in the bars 5, and 8 and insulatingmember 8, for the reception of the threaded stem I5 of the movableswitch member. As shown, the stem I5 is of a diameter to contact withthe bar 5, but at the same time be permitted to move through theregistering openings, to accomplish the purpose 5 of the invention.Secured to the upper end of the stem I5, is a contact member i5 adaptedto move into engagement with the bar 8, completing the circuit throughthe bar 8, contact member l6, bar 5 and rail 1. 10

The operating cable is indicated by the reference character I] and isconnected to the contact member I6, through the contact member l8 whichis shown as seated in a recess formed in the contact member it. Asillustrated by Figure 15 l of the drawing, the cable I1, is of a lengthto extend to the instrument board of the vehicle, where it is suppliedwith the knob I! for easy and positive operation of the cable to movethe switch member it into and out of operation, :0 controlling theground of the battery.

In order that the switch member I and contact surfaces of the bars 5 and8 will be protected against theelements, a housing 20 is provided,completely enclosing the contact member 25 I6 and contact surfaces ofthe bars 5 and 8.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shownand described, the ground circuit may be readily broken, entirelydisconnecting the battery from the various wires pro- 30 viding thecircuits of the motor vehicle, and eliminating any possibility of fireby short circuit.

I claim:

A switch for use in the ground circuit of the battery of a motorvehicle, comprising upper and as lower contact bars, insulating materialbetween the bars, said bars and insulating material having aligningopenings, one of said bars adapted to be secured to a rail of thechassis of the vehicle,

a battery ground strap leading from the battery 40 and secured to theother bar, a switch embodying a stem and a contact member on the stem,said stem being movable through the aligning openings and permanentlycontacting with the lower bar, the opening in the upper bar being of a 5diameter greater than the diameter of the stem of the switch, providinga space between the stem and upper bar, said switch member adapted toengage the upper bar completing the ground circuit to the batterybetween the stem and bars 0 when the switch is moved in one direction,and means for operating the switch to break or complate the circuitthrough the switch.

CHAUNCEY P. SAUPP, JR.

